ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: nail · track · mug · pitch · kick · kid · rule · wax

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. mug — a face
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. kid — to tease
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. track — a song
  9. track — a path
  10. kid — child
  11. mug — a cup
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. mug — to rob
  14. wax — to grow
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. pitch — completely
  18. rule — a law
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. track — to keep track
  22. rule — government
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. pitch — a sales talk

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com